Bad luck is sitting in a parked car while a 2012 Toyota Corolla drives straight into your rear bumper. Bad luck is watching Tom Brady suffer an injury while playing as the Patriots in a $150 Madden tournament against your roommates. Bad luck is when the remote control runs out of batteries while you're flipping through the channels and the television is stuck on Ryan Reynolds' godforsaken Green Lantern.

Bad luck is NOT getting the sixth pick when that's the most likely outcome of the 2014 NBA Draft lottery.

The Celtics did not stumble into a dark misfortune Tuesday night, but they did not benefit from a ping-pong ball blessing, either. They had a 33.4 percent chance at a top-three pick, but instead the most likely scenario (for them) came to fruition and they landed at No. 6. In a deep draft the selection still holds value, but there's a substantial gap between how teams view No. 3 and No. 6.

Things would have been easier with a better pick, but Danny Ainge still faces the same mission. According to the Boston Herald, he's OK with going through "another year of treading water if no blockbuster deals are available." And he should be: successful rebuilds often take time, they require patience, they are typically led by general managers who decline to settle on mediocre deals. The belief has always been that Ainge would swing for the fences, but if he doesn't see the right pitch he should keep the bat on his shoulder. Nothing kills a rebuild more quickly than spending money and assets on the wrong player(s).

In a worst-case scenario, the Celtics could use both of their 2014 first-round draft picks and enter next season with a similar roster. They would still need to decide what to do with restricted free agent Avery Bradley, and they might still explore moving veterans like Brandon Bass or Jeff Green. With internal improvement (Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk in particular could be due for nice steps forward) plus two first-round contributors and a healthy season from Rajon Rondo, Boston could theoretically compete for a postseason berth in the woeful East.

But the tread water route also might include seriously considering a Rondo trade. He has expressed a desire to test free agency next summer, and he very well could want to see some roster improvement before deciding to stay. All-Stars -- and particularly All-Stars who suck opponents' blood come playoff time and like nothing more than nationally televised games -- do not typically want to spend their prime years on misshapen rosters with no chance of contending.

Ideally, I suspect, the Celtics would want to use Rondo as their Paul Pierce, surrounding him with other stars. Trading the point guard, even for a big haul of draft picks and young talent, could set back the rebuilding process. But the risk of losing him for nothing could spur action. It should at least encourage Ainge to fully explore the trade market.

The Celtics roster is set up for the possibility of 2015 cap space, so Ainge will have options down the road if he keeps the roster mostly intact. But you can see why treading water might be a little scary. Right now the Celtics have one legitimate star, with enough assets to build a competitive package for any other big name to hit the market. They are not close to contending, but they appear in a good spot for the future. But if Rondo walks or gets traded for less than 100 cents on the dollar? If Sullinger hurts his value by remaining overweight and failing to show improvement in Year 3? If the 2014 selections flop? The Celtics could be left with a bundle of future draft picks, millions of dollars to spend, a couple decent young players, and the promise of tradition. In other words: A lot more rebuilding. That path would not be completely crushing, but it would require more time and more losing. Ainge would like to swing a big trade this summer, if he could, and accelerate the process.

On the radio Wednesday morning, Ainge said he would consider trading for a star in the final year of his deal without agreement on a contract extension.

Asked if that's because he believes he could sell the player within a year, Ainge replied with one word: "Yes."

The questions obviously implied a reference to Kevin Love, who reportedly could be available this summer and may or may not currently be amenable to staying in Boston. The Celtics would be obvious suitors and have been mentioned as an intriguing candidate largely because of all the future draft picks gathering dust in their basement. Although folks around the league do not view Sullinger as a bona fide young stud, he's liked by other teams. He's already a nice player with great hands and a high basketball IQ; with better conditioning and an improved 3-point stroke, he could morph into a far more potent creature. Also with two first-rounders this year, at least seven over the next four drafts, and a string of nonguaranteed deals, Ainge will be able to put together a competitive package despite falling to No. 6. But he knows many teams will pursue Love, one of the most productive players ever to hit the trade market.

“I feel like there are some opportunities for us to change the look of our team, but it’s not going to be easy. There's competition out there," Ainge said on the radio. "Everybody is vying for the great players in the league and there are a lot of teams that have good flexibility like we do.”

“When we were able to make the KG trade it wasn’t because Kevin McHale and I were friends, it was because they coveted Al Jefferson. That was the only reason we were able to get KG," the executive added. "I think that we have some good young talent, but so do other teams. There will be a lot of phone calls made on the behalf of players that are supposedly available. But we’ll be making those calls and seeing what we can do."

This will be another vital summer in Boston, one that will confront Ainge with plenty of decisions. He sounds invigorated by the challenge, but still he knows rebuilding isn't always as easy as it looked in 2007.